The average success rate in this year's exam results based on letter grading is 3.03 percentage points down from 39.88 per cent last year but 1.63 percentage points up from 35.22 per cent in 2001.

Male students with a 38.75 per cent success rate took the lead over females with 34.53 per cent under the seven boards.

Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk yesterday said the percentage of pass in the SSC exams was comparatively low because of strict measures taken against copying and other unfair means.

"Although the pass rate has dropped a bit compared to last year, the quality of results has improved," the minister said at a press conference on the publication of SSC results. The education ministry will continue its efforts to raise the standards of education, he promised.

About the huge failure rate accounting for 63.15 per cent, the minister said, "It has long been a tradition in our country."

He said the number of expellees was reduced to 14,700 from 42,000 in 2002 and 37,300 in 2001. Numbers of expelled teachers and employees have also dropped, he added.

Action will be taken against the educational institutions that have performed short of expectations, he told the press conference, also attended by State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Haque and chairmen of all education boards.

The Sylhet education board acquired the highest pass percentage at 45.15, followed by Jessore at 42.14, Dhaka at 40.04, Chittagong at 35.12, Barisal at 32.80, Comilla at 32.60 and Rajshahi at 30.12.

Under the education boards, 3,30,766 examinees of 9,21,024, who sat the exams in March, came out successful. As many as 9,34,505 examinees enrolled under the seven boards.

The number of examinees was 272,960 in Dhaka, 69,150 in Chittagong, 272,835 in Rajshahi, 106,510 in Comilla, 118,626 in Jessore, 63,757 in Barisal and 30,667 in Sylhet.

The results of the Vocational Certificate Examinations under the Technical Education Board and Dakhil Examinations under the Madrassah Education Board were published simultaneously.

The average pass rate of vocational exams has been recorded at 40.72, which is 3.87 percentage points down from 44.59 per cent last year. The average pass in Dakhil exams is 41.87 per cent, 10.59 percentage points down from 52.46 per cent last year.

Under the Technical Education Board, 12,309 examinees of 31,627 came out successful, and 68,345 examinees of 1,68,899 became achievers under the madrassah board.

The success rate of male students under the Technical Education Board is 67.85 per cent, while females scored 32.15 per cent. Under the madrassah board, the success rate of males has been recorded at 45.71 per cent, while females at 35.67 per cent.

The results were published in Grade Point Average (GPA) 5 (80-100 per cent), GPA 4 (60-79 per cent) GPA 3 (51-59 per cent), GPA 2 (41-50 per cent) and GPA 1 (33-40 per cent).

The education minister, the state minister for education, Education Secretary Mohammad Shahidul Alam and chairmen of the seven boards handed the result sheets over to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday afternoon.